The 5k is the most popular race distance in America today. No matter where you live, you are probably within easy driving distance to a 5k road race on any given weekend. The popularity of the 5K is two fold. At 3.1 miles, the 5k is a distance that most anyone can train for and complete. Most 5K's are fund-raisers as well, which adds to their appeal. You should, however, be careful. Once you have run one, you may find yourself addicted. Given that most races give out t-shirts in their race packets, you may never need to go shopping again once the racing bug has bit.

To begin training for a 5k there are a few things to do. Check the newspaper or the internet to find your goal race. If you have done no running previously, give yourself at least 6 weeks, if you are already running some, you can probably get by with a month. The goal for your first 5k is to complete it and have fun, not necessarily win, and definitely not make yourself miserable. Leave yourself enough time to do adequate training, and you will have a great time. Once you have chosen your race, it is time to get running.

Your goal for a successful 5k is to build up to running for 30 minutes at a time prior to the race. At 3.1 miles you may take longer than that to complete the race, but if you are comfortably running thirty minutes prior to race day, the energy and excitement of the day will be enough to carry you on your big day. If you are already running, just add 5 minutes to your time every 3 to 4 runs. For example, if you have been running 20 minutes 3 times a week, go to 25 minutes this week, and 30 the week after. Once you get to 30 minutes, you can increase your fitness level by varying your running route, adding hills, or going to the local track to run intervals. Keep it simple, if you have to much to think about, you will inevitably end up dropping the ball and back sliding on your training.

If you have been sedentary up until now, your approach to the 5k will be a little different. The first week, aim to exercise for 10 minutes, jogging as long as you can, walking when you need to. Take your time, if you push yourself to soon, you will be sore and uncomfortable, and may lose motivation.

For week 2, add 5 minutes to your total time, so that you are exercising for 15 minutes. Your goal for this week is to run for a solid 5 minutes, so start your run, look at your watch and try to run without stopping for 5 minutes. Remember, you are going to exercise for 15 minutes, and ideally run a good part of that time, so feel free to take walk breaks, bu aim for a 5 minute uninterrupted stretch within that 15 minute block.

Week 3, and we are moving up to 20 minutes. Keep your uninterrupted 5 minute block in there, and maybe add a minute or two, but only if you are comfortable. Make sure to get your 20 minutes in at least 3 times this week.

Week 4 we stay at 20 minutes, but run for 10 minutes uninterrupted. If you are consistently feeling out of breath, slow down a little bit. Too many people start out to fast, without realizing it and cheat their body's out of a longer, sustained workout.

Week 5, almost there! Run 25 minutes, running at least 10 minutes at a time. You are probably starting to get into a groove, where you settle into your run and "coast" for a while. That is what you are looking for. Run as much as you are comfortable, but do not hesitate to walk if you feel like you need a break.

Week 6, the countdown is on. Run 30 minutes 3 days this week, running as much of each run as you can. Do not get caught up in minutes or numbers, instead think about how your body feels and how much you have changed in the last 6 weeks. Relax and enjoy yourself and get ready for the Big Day.

Now that the hard part is over, it is time to get ready for the race! Let the weather dictate what you wear, although you do not want to race in anything brand new. Make sure that you have ran in anything you wear at least once before, this goes without saying for shoes, but also includes shorts tops, sports bras (for the females) and even, or perhaps especially, socks. Nothing can ruin your first race experience quicker than something chafing, rubbing or causing a blister.

Many of these races take place early in the morning, which can be chilly even in the summer. It never hurts to take a sweatshirt or jacket you can throw on as you wait for the race to start and then peel off and drop to the ground as you line up. Hopefully it will be there after the race, but if not, make sure that it isn't something that you will miss terribly.

Once you have put in the time to be trained for the race and decided what you are going to wear, the only thing left is to plan your dinner for the night before, something light and not too greasy, get a good night's rest, and get up in the morning in enough time to have breakfast. If you have normally been running in the morning you should have a good idea of what you can tolerate and what you cannot. If not, some good choices are a bagel, a banana, or a peanut butter sandwich. To drink, have coffee if you normally do, but chase it with a glass of water. Otherwise, apple or orange juice as well as sports drinks are usually well tolerated. Definitely stay away from milk and breakfast meats unless you have tried this before and it does not bother your stomach.

On the morning of race day, wake up early enough so that you are not rushed, although too much idle time can be nerve racking if you are nervous. Plan on getting to the race venue about 30 minutes before the race. This gives you time to loosen up, get your race number pinned on, and take one last bathroom break. When you line up, plan on lining up toward the back of the group. It is much easier on your self confidence to start too far in the back of the pack and spend the entire race passing people, than starting too close to the front and spend the entire race getting passed.

When the race starts, it is important to run your own race. If you start out too fast, you will be pretty miserable before you are half-way through. Most races are marked so that you have a pretty good idea how far you have run. Maintain a comfortable pace, and toward the last mile, if you feel like you have some energy left, pick up the pace. Aim to finish strong.

After the race there will be refreshments waiting, anything from sports drinks and fruit to beer and donuts. Awards will be handed out, not just for the top finishers, but for different age group winners as well. Hang around, enjoy the festivities, and be sure to wear your new t-shirt to the grocery store the next day.